Such boxes are conventionally globally flat (with a height significantly smaller than their other dimensions), with a shape that can be round, square (possibly with rounded corners), rectangular, polygonal, etc. It is generally composed of a body, typically formed by a bottom and a lateral wall, and a lid articulated to the lateral wall and having a rim which, in the closed configuration of the box, lines up with that wall, or even caps it. To ensure a large range of movement of the lid relative to the body, for example to enable the user to use a mirror on the interior face of the lid (this explains why this range of movement is typically greater than 90°, for example of the order of 120°, the articulation generally runs along the exterior surfaces of the lateral wall and the lid (usually its rim). The lid is generally maneuvered by acting on a projection on the lid at a distance from the articulation; this projection often cooperates with another projection provided on the lateral wall to hold, or even to lock, the lid onto the lateral wall in the closed configuration.
Also known are containers for cosmetic or toiletry products that include a body and a lid, as above, but in which the lid, instead of being articulated, is held in the closed configuration by a screwing action or even by a clipping action. However, such structures are hardly practicable for flat shapes, and so these containers are generally more bulky than the aforementioned boxes (they are generally referred to as “pots”). Furthermore, they have the drawback that the lid is therefore independent of the body, which obliges the user to put it down independently of the body if they wish to access the interior of the container; furthermore, opening (and closing) the container imply the use of both hands, with complex movements that can be awkward, especially if the user is not seated at a table or is in a public place. This explains the preference for boxes whose lid remains connected to the body at all times, for reasons of compactness and simplicity and reliability of use.
However, as just explained, boxes for cosmetic or toiletry products that include a lid connected at all times to the body of the box generally have projections, which has the drawback of constituting at least visual discontinuities relative to the body and the lid, which can compromise the overall esthetics. Another drawback of such projections is that they can snag on adjacent objects, or even the fabric inside a pocket or a handbag, and if this snagging is caused by projections for opening or locking the lid, it leads to unintentional opening of the box.